Puncturing device for files, binders, or the like



v E. K. BOTTLE. PUNCTURING DEVICE FOR FILES, BINDERS, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20,1915.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig J.

INVENTOR By Attorneys,

WITNESSES E. K. BOTTLE.

PUNCTURING DEVICE FOR FILES, BINDERS, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20, 1915- 1,336,998. Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITI IESSES W6 By A ltomeys,

EDWARD KIRIBY BOTTLE, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK,

ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM A. COOKE,

OF BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

PUNCTURING DEVICE FOR FILES, BINDERS, OR THE LIKE.

Application filed April 20, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD K. Bo'rrnn, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residin in Elmira, in the county of Chemung and tate of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PuncturingDevices for Files, Binders, or the like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to files, binders or similar devices, and is moreparticularly di rected to a puncturing device for the papers to befiled.

' The invention aims to provide an effec tive and reliable device ofthis character, which, by reason of its excessive cheapness, is adaptedfor use in connection with paper or cardboard binders for generalcorrespondence and the like.

Many forms of puncturing or perforating devices have heretofore beenproposed, such devices usually constituting a die and a punch, or aduplication of these parts. The die has customarily comprised a plate ofmetal having an aperture or apertures which are formed with a sharpenedor cutting edge, and the punch has usually comprised a pin having a flatupper working face also provided with a cutting edge, the die and punchfiting so closely that the paper to be perforated is cut with a roundhole, a circular blank being removed in the cutting operation. Suchdevices, While applicable to the more expensive types of binders havebeen entirely too costly for use in connection with ordi narycorrespondence or similar files. They have usually required an operatinghandle for actuating them, and. their size and weight have also renderedtheir use impractical or impossible in the types of binder just referredto.

According to the present invention, I provide a puncturing device whichis exceedingly cheap and simple in construction. Instead of acting as apair of dies to cut out portions of the paper, it acts to pierce orpuncture the paper by separating its fibers. The openings thus formedthrough the paper are, however, quite suflicient'to admit the pins orprongs of the binder, and the openings being properly spaced apart,there is no danger of tearing the paper in the act Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Serial No. 22,544.

of inserting the prongs. The invention also includes certain otherfeatures of construction which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate several forms of theinvention,

Figure l is a plan of a file or binder hav ing my invention appliedthereto.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a modified method of attaching theprojection to the file.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of puncturing device.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 66 in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 in Fig. 5.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, let A indicate a binder of suitableconstruction, that shown having pins or prongs B, B which are offlexible metal and are designed to pass through the letter sheets to befiled. In Fig. 1 the prongs are shown folded down. being held in thisposition by pivoted catches C, C. This type of binder is wellknown andneeds no further description, except to say that when the catches C, Care opened, the prongs may be bent upwardly and inserted through thesheets to be filed.

One form of the puncturing device provided by the present invention isshown at the left in Fig. 1. In the form illustrated,

it will ordinarly be attached to one of the covers of the binder,preferably the lefthand cover on the inside, as shown.

The puncturing device which is indicated as a whole by the letter D,comprises a means by which the direct pressure of the hand may beutilized to puncture the paper. I have found that if a projection suchas E is mounted in one of the parts, as for instance, the cover of thebinder, and an opening such as F is formed in another part, so that itcan be pressed downwardly over the projection by the finger or thumb ofthe operator, the paper will be pierced in an effective manner withoutdanger of injuring it. In practice I utilize an eyelet G in the openingF, which may conveniently be circular in shape, although other shapesmay be used.

The eyelet or eyelets G are preferably mounted in a hinged flap H whichis adapted to fold down over the puncturing devices E in such a manneras to bring the eyelets in alinement with the puncturing devices.

The puncturing devices may be made in a number of different ways, butthe cheapest and simplest way with which I am. acquainted is to formthem with a strip of thin sheet brass bent at its middle. Such strip maybe formed with legs E which pass upwardly through the cover, therebyholding the device in place. In the construction shown in Figs 1 to 3,eyelets J are set in the cover and the puncturing devices E passupwardly through the eyelets, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4, the puncturing device E is formedwit-h straight legs E which are glued or otherwise secured to the innerside of the cover, a strip of flexible material being superposed uponthem.

In use, the sheet of paper to be filed is laid over the tops of theprojections E and the flap H folded over, thus bringing the openings Fin approximate alinement with the projections. Pressure is then broughtto bear upon the device, with the result that the projections E forcetheir way through the paper, thereby making a suitable puncture which issufficiently welldefined to admit the passage of the prongs B, B of thebinder. At the same time the paper is not torn or marred in any othermanner by the operation of the device.

Preferably, the member H is sufficiently flexible to permit one of thepunctures to be made in advance of the other, as illustrated in Fig. 2,and preferably, the puncture is made by pressing the finger or thumbdirectly down upon the eyelet G, the binder cover being preferably.supported on some fiat surface, although the fingers may constitutesuch a support if desired. By making the member H flexible it will beobserved that it is not necessary to puncture the two holes at once.Therefore, the power required is considerably less, and with. theconstruction shown, pressure with the finger over the eyelet issuificent to puncture the paper. The flap H is preferably made ofcardboard, paper or thin metal, or other suitable material.

In the construction, as described, the paper is not sheared as is thecase with prior devices.

The projections may however be sharp, and may be of any suitable shape,so as to obtain the desired perforation. The eyelet however ispreferably not relied upon as a die, but to place a strain upon thepaper around the projection thereby causing the end of the puncturingdevice to separate the fibers by straining them beyond their cohesivestrength.

The device is capable of considerable modification. In Figs. 5 to 7' isshown a modification in which the projections or puncturers are formedon the catches C, C, such projections being indicated by the referenceletter M. In this case the holes may be made in the cover, as shown atN, so that when the cover is pressed downwardly, as before describechthedevice is caused to operate. Or other constructions may be adoptedwithin the spirit of the invention.

hat I claim is 1. A puncturing device for files, binders or the like,comprising a plurality of bladelike puncturing projections, a pluralityof members adapted to be pressed downwardly over said projections, saidmembers having substantially circular openings into which saidprojections may enter and force their way through the paper to be filed,whereby to pierce the paper by separating its fiber, and a flexiblemeans for carrying said members adapted to permit said members to beseparately operated to successively pierce said paper.

2. A puncturing device for files,binders or the like comprising aflexibly mounted member having a substantially circular aperture and ablade like projection adapted to aline with said aperture.

3. A puncturing device for files, binders or the like, comprising a pairof fixed bladelike projections, a flexible strip and eyelets carried bysaid strip adapted to be moved into alinement with said fixedprojections respectively.

4. A puncturing device for files, binders or the like, comprising aplurality of sheet metal projections, and a flexible strip carrying aplurality of eyelets adapted to be pressed over said projections, saidsheet metal projections comprising a strip of sheet metal having abent-up portion presenting a narrow edge at its top.

5. A puncturing device for files, binders or the like, comprising aplurality of sheet metal projections, and a flexible strip carrying aplurality of eyelets adapted to be pressed over said projections, saidsheet metal projections comprising a strip of sheet metal, bent up atits middle and pressed together to form a narrow edge at the bend.

6. A puncturing device for files,binders, or the like, comprising amovable member and apart upon which it is mounted, one of said partshaving a substantially circular aperture and the other of said partshaving a blade-like projection adapted to signed my name in the presenceof two subaline withf said gperture151 and ab flexible scribingWitnesses. mountin or sai mova e mein er conr 7 nected to the said partat one side only so as EDWARD IXIRBi BOTTLE 5 to permit it to be easilyoperated by the WVitnesses:

finger to puncture asheet. A. L. STREETER,

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto G. W. EDMUNDS.

